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International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 12, Issue 1, December 2021

Impact Factor: 5.731

Overcurrent Relay Coordination in Radial

Distribution System
Sowmiya T1 and Dr. Sujatha Balaraman2
P. G. Scholar, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering1
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering2
Government College of Technology , Coimbatore, India

Abstract: The paper addresses a simple and effective coordination of overcurrent relays in distribution
network As far as the distribution network is concerned, the over current relays are the major protection
devices. Back up protection is intended to operate when a fault is not cleared or an abnormal condition
is not detected in required time because of failure or inability of other protection to operate or failure of
the appropriate Circuit Breakers to trip. In the distribution network, the relays have to be coordinated
properly in order to avoid unnecessary outage of healthy part of system. In this work, an attempt has
been made to study the coordination amongst various over current relays by simulating unsymmetrical
fault in various locations of distribution network. The simulation work is carried out in Matlab for 3-bus
system. The protection settings were tested and from the simulation results it was found that the
coordination among the relays achieved properly.

Keywords: Over Current Relay, Relay Setting and Coordination, Distribution Network

I. INTRODUCTION
In the modern distribution system, the protection of the electrical components is one of the most important tasks for
electrical engineers during the fault condition. The main aim of electrical network protection systems is to isolate the
faulty part of network quickly to prevent further damage to the system and also to maintain continuous power supply to
healthy section. For the protection of electrical network protective relays play a vital role to isolate the faulty section.
The over current (OC) relays are essential for distribution and sub-transmission networks. During the fault condition, if
the primary relay fails to operate, a secondary relay is provided to operate at specified time interval. During operation
of over-current relays, minimum time gaps are required to maintain the coordination between these two relays both
relays is called as CTI (coordination time interval). Heavy fault current flows in the event of faults at the loads
connected in distribution system, to protect these loads, circuit breakers and relay are required at appropriate places
with proper coordination between them. In case of any failure occur the relay can be operated and give the command
signal to the corresponding Circuit Breaker. This relay is called as primary relay. In case of failure of primary relay,
backup relay will operate after sufficient time discrimination. Relay coordination is an important aspect in the
protection system design as coordination schemes must guarantee fast, selective, and reliable to isolate the power
system from faulted sections. However, protective relay are used to detect any abnormalities in a power system and
isolate the faulty section of the system in the shortest time, in order to minimize disturbances caused by to ensure
continues power delivery. In the beginning, the trial and error finding in the relay settings can be studied in[1], The
design of protective relaying has to ensure that relays will be able to detect abnormal or undesirable conditions and then
trip the circuit breaker to disconnect the affected area without affecting other undesired areas. According to statistical
evidence, large numbers of relay tripping are due to improper or inadequate settings rather than to genuine faults in[2].
In [3], implementation of Coordination of Over-Current Relays using 3 bus and 4 bus test models was simulated . The
simulation models were developed to support and enhance Power System protection courses. The results can be
displayed in the form of graphs or imported to document for visual inspection by [4]. In [5], model and simulation
software were developed specifically for teaching protective relaying application and design concepts by introducing
new libraries of signal sources and relay elements developed for the SIMULINK environment of MATLAB. Combined
Copyright to IJARSCT DOI: 10.48175/568 298
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 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT
International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 12, Issue 1, December 2021

Impact Factor: 5.731

with the power block set toolbox of MATLAB, the mentioned libraries allow for a variety of studies aimed at better
understanding protective relay design approaches, and related applications.
applications In [6], presented
ed a set of newly developed
modeling, simulation and testing tools aimed at better understanding the design concept and related applications for
protective relaying solutions for the electrical network.
network Model and Performance Simulation of Over current Relay and
Fault-Circuit-Breaker Using Simulink were proposed by Martín, Sergio Sebastian. It is an interactive software tool for
modeling, simulating and analyzing dynamic systems, which is showing optimum results in all fields of engineering.
He explains how a model of a circuit breaker controlled by an over current relay and selecting power network
protection elements under stable, transient or no voltage power conditions in[7]. The he dynamic performance oof
interconnected power systems was analyzed and examined
e the characteristics of the various components of a power
system during normal operating conditions
ditions and during disturbances in [8].

II. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

2.1 Problem Formulation for or Optimal Overcurrent
Over Relay
When a fault occurs in any portion of the power system network, the primary relay must act first. But to be on the
safer side a 'Back-Up'
Up' relay to the 'Primary' relay is also provided with a proper discrimination time in their operation.
Discrimination time is provided so as to allow the primary relay to act first. In case if it fails, then the back
back-up relay
acts. This is done so as to isolate the healthy portion from the faulty portion. The evaluated objective function of relay
coordination is expressed by,
Znear, far=∑ T pri,near+∑ T pri,far
The operating time of the relay is obtained with these following important terms,
1. Plug Setting Multiplier (PSM)
2. Time Dial Setting (TDS)
The relay coordination is nothing but a tripping of protecting relay in a sequence or order in electrical power system.

2.2 Relay Coordination Study

2 Block Diagram for Relay Coordination Study

Figure 2.1:
Let us consider
onsider four number of substation, Substation A, Substation B, Substation C, Substation D. now consider
Substation A is generation station and remaining all are distribution stations. In this, if the fault (short circuit) occurs in
Substation D the substation
tion D relay has to operate, that relay known as primary relay . In case of any failure in that
relay next relay C in substation C cann be acted as a backup relay. This is called as proper relay coordination. instead of
that, the substation A relay operatedd means such system said to be poor relay coordination. It causes the total power
system shutdown or unnecessary zone trips. Because, there is no fault on substation A, B and C but the substation A
operates unnecessarily. In order to avoid such relay operation,
opera we have to set co-ordination
ordination between all 4 substations.
Relay coordination can be done by selecting proper plug setting multiplier(PSM)) and time dial setting(TDS) of the
relay, considering maximum fault at the relay location. After selecting the plug setting and time dial setting, the
coordination can be checked.

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 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT
International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 12, Issue 1, December 2021

Impact Factor: 5.731

2.3 OC Relay Coordination Constraints

Figure 2.2: Coordination Constraints

In order to coordinate two over current relay, one as main relay (m) and the other as back up relay (b), as shown in
figure 2.2, the difference between the operation time of back up relay and the operation time of main relay for faults F1
and F2 should be more than CTI. F1 and F2 are short circuits at near bus and far bus of main relay respectively. CTI is
the time interval for coordination of main and backup relay. So the constraint for coordination of OC relays b and m
will be in the form of inequalities 1 and 2.

III. TEST SYSTEM

A system whereby power is received at the utility supply voltage level by a single, incoming substation.
substation.3 bus radial
distribution can be taken as a test model for in this work. The above 3 bus system 3.1 is taken as a test model for the
calculation of relay setting for coordination purpose.

ure 3.1: 3 bus radial distribution system test model

Figure

3.1 Coordination Implementation

When considering single line to ground fault is created in the various
various location like A, B, and C and the coordination
has been developed using matlab simulink. Now, consider the single line to ground fault can located in the location A.
Each bus having two relays in both near and far end
e of the fault location. In this case the fault can be simulated in the
feeder between bus 1 and 2. The relaying system must be selective, sensitive, reliable and fast in its operation to isolate
the faulty section of electrical network Selectivity of relaying
r systems the primary and backup relays
relays. Backup relays
will operate only in case of failure of primary relay with proper coordination time interval. As per the objective
function of coordination now,, the operating time of relay is to be calculated. The problem of relay coordination
Copyright to IJARSCT DOI: 10.48175/568 300
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 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT
International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 12, Issue 1, December 2021

Impact Factor: 5.731

requires the knowledge of maximum possible load and fault current for each possible fault location to cover whole
network with primary and backup over current protection. The optimal relay coordination guarantees the correct relay
operating sequence with the least fault clearing time for each fault location. Let consider the fault is created in the
location A. For ensuring safety, relay 1 should be acting as a primary relay because it is near to the fault location A. In
case if relay 1 fails to operate, then the relay 2 must be acting as backup relay in order to protect the system. so this
action based upon the basic constraints of the each relay was discussed in section II.

3.2 Relay Setting Calculation With Test Model

Each relay having its own setting values. The relay coordination can be done with basics of this setting values. May
these settings are plug setting (PS), time dial setting (TDS), operating time of the relay and coordination time interval
(CTI). In this work various inputs can be taken to find out the relay setting values in the coordination. When creating
the fault at particular location (A,B,C) each relay will responding the command signal from circuit breaker and start to
operate to protect the system from this fault. operating time of each relay defines which one is primary relay and
backup relay to this fault location. and discrimination time when the fault condition. This value choose the
corresponding primary and backup relay on the test system during the fault condition. now, the important aspects and
basic constraints of overcurrent relay is to be studied.

3.2.1 Calculation of Plug Setting Multiplier (PSM)

Plug setting multiplier is nothing but a ratio between the actual fault current in the relay operating coil to pick up
current (the relay current setting).using this following Eq. (1) the PSM value to be calculated by each of the relay.
PSM = (1)
In another term the PSM is calculated by using the following expression (2)
PSM = (desired value of PSM/step PSM)*step PSM (2)

3.2.2 Calculation of Time Dial Setting (TDS)

It is defined as the ratio where, for a given PSM . T is the desired relay operating time and Tm is the corresponding
operating time at TMS of. Equation (3) is used to find the TMS of the relay.
TMS = (3)

3.2.3 Calculating of Operating Time of the Relay

The Operate Time of a relay is the transition time from the moment when voltage is applied to the relay coil to the
moment the normally open switch contact(s) close. Equation (3) is used to calculate the value of operating time of the
relay.
Operating time = K * set value of TDS (4)
2
where, K = ( 1/( ) )–1
Once calculating the value of K then the operating time is to be calculated. The operating is calculated with the
another equation (5) is expressed by,
Operating Time of Relay (T )= Operating Time of Relay X TMS (5)

3.2.4 Calculation of Coordination of Time Interval (CTI)

By plotting the time-current curves, we can estimate the respective operating time of the overcurrent devices. From
these operating times, we can calculate the time interval between the operations of these devices. This time interval is
referred to as the Coordination Time Interval (CTI). CTI is time interval between main and backup relays. The
discrimination of time between the relay 1 and relay 2 is considered as 0.3sec. Now of PSM, TDS, operating time of
all the relay can be calculated with the above expression. Now this action can take similar into all the relays in the test
model using MATLAB.
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IV SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

IV.
For
or a given fault current we have a desired 'Time of Operation' for both the primary as well as back up relay. But,
since
ce the settings available are often discrete, so obtaining desired time of operation is not always possible. Then by
using trial and error we need to choose PSM and TDS, which is not always the optimum choice. In this work
work, three bus
radial distribution system is taken as test model to obtain the complete relay coordination of over current relay
relays. This
simple MATLAB code, finds the optimum set of PSM and TDS so as to give the best possible time of operation to the
relay. This code is only a representation to the algorithm .The
he discrimination time between primary and backup relay is
set as 0.3 seconds.

4.1 Flow Chart For Relay Coordination

Fig
Figure 4.1: Flow Chart for Relay Coordination
The fig 4.1 result displayed the functioning of relay coordination . All The input data variables entered with entire
row and column through the matlab simulink.
simulink. These data are stored and imported into the matlab environment. Once
the values are imported then the matlab can read the data and the output will show the values of PSM, TDS, operating
time of the relay and CTI of each relay.. The output values can be tabulated in table 4.1. Thus the relay coordination of
over current relays on 3- bus radial distribution system has been completed.
Table 4.1: Relay and Its Optimized Outputs
RELAY NUMBER PSM TDS OPERATING TIME (S) Coordination time interval
1 1 0.40 0.9069 0
2 1 0.54 1.2243 0.3
3 1.12 0.3400 1.5671 0.3
4 1.14 0.5600 1.6232 0.3
5 1.18 0.62 1.777 0.3
6 2.10 0.71 2.2026 0.3
The above table 4.1 represents the output value of each relay in the system. From the table the operating time of each
relay is higher than another nearest relay. Table 4.2 displays the
he primary relay and its corresponding backup relay based
upon the operating time which may understand easily from the table 4.1.

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Volume 12, Issue 1, December 2021

Impact Factor: 5.731

Table 4.2: Primary Relay and Corresponding Backup Relay

FAULT LOCATION PRIMARY RELAY BACKUP RELAY
A 1 2
B 3 4
C 5 6

V. CONCLUSION
In this work, the setting of primary and backup relays and the relay coordination for radial distribution system was
simulated using MATLAB simulink. Here, three bus radial distribution system was taken as a test model and the relay
coordination was studied. In this test model the fault was created in various locations and the setting of relays were
obtained from Matlab coding for reliable service. Once the fault occurs, the values such as discrimination time, PSM,
TDS and the operating time of the relays were given by the developed coding in order to achieve safe operation and
rapid fault clearance. It is observed that the relay working time is decreasing with the optimal setting of TDS value
irrespective of the values of TDS. Hence it is concluded that with the use of optimized protection schemes and proper
relay coordination between primary and backup relays, the unwanted outage of feeders could be avoided.

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